The Aston Martin speedboat

Quintessence Yachts presents the first official Aston Martin speedboat called the AM37. The Netherlands-based company has announced that potential owners of the boat
will have access to specific details on a confidential
one-to-one basis.

3

At a pre-launch event within Aston Martin’s headquarters,
Netherlands-based Quintessence Yachts unveiled the first official Aston
Martin speedboat. The 11.2m AM37 was created in collaboration with Aston
Martin’s in-house design team and Mulder Design.

While the AM37 is not the first boat to take inspiration from the famous automotive brand, the AM Voyage 55
by Luiz de Basto being an example, this new 11.2m is the first official
boat design to come from Aston Martin. “Since the license agreement was
signed, the Aston Martin Design department has been working seamlessly
with the Quintessence R&D unit and naval architect Mulder Design in
Amsterdam to achieve a true example of design purity.”

Bird's eye view of AM37

With
the framework and engineering provided by Mulder Design, Aston Martin
set out to create two versions of the boat, working on the exterior and
interior to ensure it identify with the ethos of the brand. The AM37S is
a speedboat offering a maximum speed of 60 knots. With a slower top
speed of 50 knots, the AM37 is more of a granturismo and provides a
greater feeling of luxury and leisure in its finish.

“We were
approached by Quintessence Yachts in June/July to help them in the
development of this project,” explained Bas Mulder, naval architect and
owner of Mulder Design. “We developed a design brief that looked at the
length and performance of the boat and so on. Obviously the performance
of the boat was one of the key focuses for us but there are a number of
exciting features on this boat, which we call the ‘Q elements’.

Cockpit interior

While
there are aspects of the project yet to be disclosed, the team has
revealed that features within the hi-tech composite structure will
include interactive voice control and activation systems, an
HD-integrated touch screen with navigation and multimedia system and
remote controlled functions.

“There are some incredible features
on this boat,” said Aston Martin’s design director Marek Reichman, who
emphasised the importance of balance and in incorporating the brand’s
ethos of ‘Power, Beauty and Soul’. “There is a simplicity to the design
as well. We started with a scale model, just as we would with a new car
design, using a clay model to give us an idea of the relevant
proportions of the boat.”

Although
still under development, Mulder revealed that once the major technical
criteria of the boat had been reached, Reichman and his team worked hard
to style the boat in a way that would enhance performance while
achieving the level of beauty they were after. “They really understood
why things were a certain way, as they are bound by similar rules such
as centre of gravity and so on.”

When questioned about the power
options for the AM37, Mulder said that there would be an upper limit
option of two 660hp Mercury engines. However, the initial engines to be
used in the first model will be two 520hp petrol engines with the option
to have diesel engines. With the 520hp version, the expected top speed
is in the range of 50-55 knots. “It will offer the performance needed
but it will also ensure comfort — it is a GT,” he said.

When
questioned about the possibility of using an Aston Martin engine in
the future, Mulder didn’t discount the possibility. “At this point
Aston Martin engines are not marinised and that takes a long time to do,
but it would be ideal if they were and it is something we will look into
for the
future,” he said. “Developing an engine at the same time as a
new boat concept is too much to take on.”

Aston Martin 6.0 V12 engine (image by Andrew Johansson)

A
dedicated building facility on the south coast of England will
construct the composite boat, which will include elements of carbon
fibre. The production process will utilise state-of-the-art vacuum
infusion technology.

Quintessence Yachts is passionate about
exploring new designs and offering something fresh to the luxury marine
market. The AM37 and the AM37S are the first step in a strategic venture
between the young company and Aston Martin that will result in a wide
range of high quality speedboats. “It is a logical move for Aston
Martin, as it shares many of the same clients that own and love boats,”
said Henk de Vries, director of Feadship and chairman of Quintessence
Yachts' supervisory board.

Potential owners of the AM37 powerboat
will be given more details about the project on a confidential
one-to-one basis but we hope to bring you more news on the project in
the coming months.

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